Victor Wembanyama
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Victor Wembanyama has been upgraded to questionable on the official injury report for the San Antonio Spurs' game on Tuesday, January 6.
TheSan Antonio Spurs will face theMemphis Grizzlies on the road on Tuesday, January 6, and they may get their superstar back on the court.
Victor Wembanyama has been upgraded to questionable on theofficial injury report, after missing the last two games with a hyperextended left knee. He last played on December 31 and had 31 points, 13 rebounds and one assist on 83.3% shooting from the field and 100% shooting from three in a 134-132 win over theNew York Knicks.
Wembanyama is having a terrific third season in the NBA, averaging 24.3 points, 11.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 52.5% from the field and 36.5% from beyond the arc.
Is Victor Wembanyama Playing Tonight?
On Saturday, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson indicated Wembanyama’s recovery from his knee injury is going well and that he would be rejoining the team in Memphis tonight. This is the first time his status has changed since the injury, and it will be worth monitoring the center throughout the day.
San Antonio won’t take any chances with Wembanyama if he is not feeling 100%. The Spurs will likely evaluate him in pregame warmups before making a final decision on his status. If Wembanyama remains out,Luke Kornet will get most of the minutes at center.
The only other significant inclusion on the Spurs’ injury report for tonight isDevin Vassell, who remains out with a left adductor strain.
Victor Wembanyama Has Starred In A Reserve Role
If Wembanyama plays tonight, Johnson will likely have him on a minutes restriction. That’s good news for San Antonio, as the Spurs are 6-1 this season when he comes off the bench (their one loss was in the NBA Cup Final to the Knicks, which does not count in the standings).
Wembanyama missed 12 games earlier this season with a calf strain and returned for the NBA Cup semifinals against theOklahoma City Thunder on December 13. He had 22 points, nine rebounds and 2 assists in 21 minutes of action off the bench. That versatility has allowed Johnson to work Wembanyama back into the lineup gradually and preserve him throughout the course of games.
The Spurs have a challenging schedule ahead and are going to need Wembanyama at his best. They’ll face theLos Angeles Lakers,Boston Celtics andMinnesota Timberwolves the rest of this week, and they have a primetime matchup with the Thunder on Tuesday, January 13 (San Antonio is3-0 against the defending NBA champions this season).